A Warning Against Passing Verdicts Without Knowledge.

Verily all Praise is for Allaah, we Praise Him and seek His Help and His Guidance, and we thank Him, and we seek the protection of Allaah from the evils of ourselves and our deeds, whoever Allaah guides none can misguide, and whoever He misguides none can guide, and I bear witness that there is no God besides Allaah, the One who has no partners or equal, and who has no opposite nor any opponents, and I bear witness that our great and beloved master and leader and coolness of our eyes Muhammad is the servant of Allaah and His Messenger and His chosen one and his Beloved, Sallallaahu Wa Sallama ‘Alayhi Wa ‘Ala Kulli Rasoolin Arsalahu.

As for what follows: Servants of Allaah I advise you and myself to have taqwa of Allaah, the Most High, the Most Great, the One who said in the clear (verses) of His Book: And do not pursue that which you have no knowledge of, verily (your) hearing and sight and heart all will you be questioned about. Surah Israa Ayah 36.

Brothers in Eemaan, there’s a story narrated in Abu Daawood about a man who had a head wound, and he fell into a state of ritual impurity (Janaabah) on a cold night (he needed to make a waajib ghusl), so he asked the people who were with him (and they were not a people qualified to answer questions) so they said to him: Make ghusl, so he made ghusl and he died, then Rasoolullaah Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam was informed about it and he (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: “They have killed him, may Allaah kill them, why did they not ask when they did not know, for verily the cure for ignorance is to ask”

And Rasoolullaah Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam said: “It would have been sufficient for him to make Tayammum (dry purification) and tie a bandage on his wound and make Masah upon it, then wash the rest of his body.”

{And do not pursue that which you have no knowledge of} Do not speak of something without knowledge, because it is from the sins of the tongue – the major sins – that a person gives a verdict without knowledge, And it is true and established from Rasoolullaah Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam that he (Sallallaahu ’Alayhi Wa Sallam) was asked concerning some things to which he (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: “I do not know”, then he (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) asked Jibreel ‘Alayhis Salaam and he (too) said: “I do not know, I will ask (Allaah) Rabbul ‘Izzah” then he asked Allaah Ta’aala and Allaah taught him the answer to that question, then he went to Nabi Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam and told him what his Lord had taught him, and this (particular) question was concerning the best place and the worst place, and in another wording the best and worst land. Then Jibreel ‘Alayhis Salaam said: “The best of lands are the Masaajid” and in another wording: “The best of places are the Masaajid, and the worst of places are the Marketplaces” (Reported in al-Bayhaqi)

Rasoolullaah Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam has said: Whoever gives a religious verdict without knowledge is cursed by the Angels of the Heavens and the Earth. (Reported in Ibn Asaakir)

And Rasoolullaah Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam said: Whoever gives a religious verdict without knowledge is cursed by Allaah and the Angels and all of Mankind. (Reported in Ibn Asaakir)

And how many aren’t the people who destroy themselves and others because of passing verdicts without knowledge, by giving verdicts which has not been revealed by Allaah. (Contrary to the Sharee’ah)

Therefore my Muslim brother, if you are asked concerning a matter which you do not know about, or have not heard about, then say: “I don’t know”, and remember the words of Allaah Ta’aala: {And do not pursue that which you have no knowledge of}

Some of the Sahaabah (Ridhwaanullaahi ‘Alayhim Ajma’een) have said: “Being bold in passing verdicts is being bold upon the fire. (of Jahannam)”

So whoever gives a verdict, if he is a Mujtahid, then he gives the verdict upon the capability of his Ijtihaad, but if he is not a Mujtahid then it is not (permissible) for him to give a verdict except by relying upon the verdict which a Mujtahid Imaam has laid down.

So whoever is asked concerning a matter whose ruling he does not have knowledge about, then let him not forget the words “I do not know”. It has been narrated about Imaam Maalik Rahimahullaah that he was asked forty nine questions, he answered six, and said “I do not know” to the rest.

I say this and I seek the forgiveness of Allaah for me and for you all.

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This is not my article, i just translated it, but it is an important topic which is much in need today, it’s widespread on every website and every forum and in general daily life too, people are always asking questions, and there is always someone who has no knowledge that will try to put his penny in the plate, most are unaware of the consequences of that, Inshaa Allaah this article will instill into us the quality to speak only with certain knowledge and not speak ignorantly out of turn without knowledge.